God does not only grant forgiveness, he also grants a forgiving heart. A forgiven sinner has a forgiving heart. God’s grace to forgive is also his grace to give us the heart to forgive.

Ask for forgiveness, and it will be given to you. Ask for a forgiving heart and it will also be given to you. Ask that others will also have a forgiving heart like the Father and like you as one of his children, and it will be given to them as well. That’s our confidence in God’s gracious pardon.